ISHS Acta Horticulturae 579: II Balkan Symposium on Vegetables and Potatoes
SILVER NITRATE EFFECTS ON SEX EXPRESSION IN CUCUMBER |
| Authors: | L. Stankovic, S. Prodanovic |
| Keywords: | Cucumis sativus, flowers, gynoecious, monoecious |
| Abstract:
The effects of foliary-applied solutions of different silver nitrate concentrations (0.01%, 0.02%, 0.03% and 0.04%) and the effects of sowing seasons (spring and summer) on sex expression of two inbred cucumber lines, were examined. The lines were opposed in their basic sex expression – PMS gynoecious line and PKTZ monoecious line. The aim of this work was to study the possibilities for optimal sex conversion. In the PMS line, the number of male flowers increased with the increase in the AgNO3 concentration applied. This was more significant in the first sowing season (from 7.35 for 0.01% solution to 36.17 for 0.04%) than in the second sowing season (from 2.76 to 22.49). In both sowing seasons AgNO3 reduced female flowers, compared with the control. In the first sowing season “abnormal” intermediary forms (hermaphrodite flowers) were appeared on plants of the female cucumber line. In both sowing seasons the total number of all types of flowers was greater on the treated plants of the PMS line, compared with the control. In the spring sowing, the optimal sex conversion of Gy plants of PMS line was affected by the 0.02% AgNO3 solution, whereas in the long-daylight period this effect was achieved by the 0.03% silver nitrate solution. Silver nitrate did not affect the development of male flowers of monoecious PKTZ cucumber line. The sowing season affected the number of male flowers. The application of 0.03% and 0.04% solutions had negative effects on the total number of flowers. | |
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